Creative Darts Games: Killer

This is an exciting and dynamic darts variation that is a perfect choice for those looking to add variety to their game.

Killer is a fun game that every darts fan should learn. Its specialty is that it is ideal for larger groups as it can be played quickly and creates pleasant tension.

The game is an elimination game where you try to eliminate your opponents rather than trying to score points to win. The rules are seemingly simple, but it can require a surprising amount of tactics and strategy, especially with larger numbers of players, where alliances are formed almost instantly and without communication. Let's see how to play!

KILLER RULES:

The standard version of the Killer game consists of three main phases.

1. During the first phase , each player chooses a "number" that their opponents must hit to make a call. Each player throws a dart at the board, but this pre-throw must be done with their non-dominant hand or with their eyes closed. So left-handed players can throw with their right hand, while right-handed players can throw with their weaker left hand. Each player must hit a number (1-20) so if they hit a bull's eye or a number that is already owned by someone, they must roll again.
2. The second phase is about achieving "killer" status. Each player's goal is to become a "killer", which gives them the right to eliminate other players. To do this, they must hit twice their own number 3 times.
3. The real fun begins in the third phase , and the "killing" part. Each round, the "killers" try to knock out the other players by hitting that player's double. If the "killer" hits any opponent's double, they lose a life. They have to be careful, though, because hitting their own double also takes a life away from them. By default, each player starts with 3 lives.

The game ends when only one player remains alive on the board.

At the beginning of the game, we write down who's number is during the given game, and the number of arrows thrown to achieve "killer" status during the game. After achieving "killer" status, a "K" is added next to their name, so every player is aware of who poses the greatest threat.

ALTERNATIVE RULES:

Since there are many variables in the game, there are dozens of variations that adapt to the preferences and abilities of the players.

• In larger groups, where problems can arise due to the different skills of the players, it is often a practice to disadvantage the more skilled players and only allow triples to gain "killer" status and/or to hit it more than once instead of 3 times. This allows for a very good weighting of the players' skill levels.
• Another approach could be to increase the number of lives available, either uniformly or weighted. This is especially useful if the average skill of the players is high and you want to extend the game for a longer period of time.
• Another option to increase the excitement is the option to restore lost lives. In this case, you have to hit your own double 2 or more times to regain 1 life by agreement.